1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers, and more particularly, to a mixing container having separate storage compartments for two ingredients.
2. Description of Related Art
Many mixtures and solutions require that the ingredients be mixed at the time, or shortly before, the mixture or solution is utilized for its intended purpose. This is true in the areas of chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and even certain nutritional sport drinks. For example, there are numerous sports drinks having a liquid ingredient and a powder ingredient which includes chemicals which have a short shelve life when mixed with a liquid. The powder must be kept dry until it is mixed with the liquid at the time of consumption. Therefore, during manufacture, shipping, and storage, the powder must be kept separate from the liquid, but in a readily available location.
Prior art systems for shipping and storing such ingredients have included bottles for the liquid ingredient having means for securing a separate container to the outside of the bottle for the powder ingredient. Additional systems have incorporated separate storage compartments in the closure or cap of the bottle for storing the powder ingredient. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,291 to Hunt (Hunt) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,951 to Rizzardi (Rizzardi) disclose a type of container in the shape of a bottle, can, or the like wherein a frangible member is adapted to be severed or ruptured by the depression of a plunger so as to disperse a material stored in a compartment in the neck of the bottle or container into a liquid which is located in the container. However, severance of the frangible member is caused by relatively complex and cumbersome mechanisms or actuators in these prior art patents, making them expensive to manufacture.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,475 to Itzel (Itzel) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,835 to Schumacher et al. (Schumacher) disclose closure caps for two-component packaging systems in which a liquid component is stored in a container such as a bottle or can, and a powder or second liquid component is stored in a reservoir in the closure cap. Each of these patents releases the second component by twisting the closure cap sharply to break the reservoir along a weakened line, thereby dispersing the second component from the reservoir into the liquid which is located in the container. In these prior art patents, however, breaking of the reservoir is also caused by relatively complex and cumbersome mechanisms or actuators making them expensive to manufacture.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,011 to Robbins, III (Robbins) discloses a container assembly which may hold a liquid in a container and a powder or second liquid in an additive cup detachably supported within the neck or other discharge opening of the container. After a cap is removed from the discharge opening, the additive cup is removed by the user and a seal is removed therefrom. The contents of the additive cup are then poured by the user into the container. The additive cup is then inverted and mounted over the discharge opening to form a dispenser of the resultant mixture in the container. However, Robbins requires that the user remove the additive cup and pour the second component into the container. This may be difficult for containers with narrow discharge openings. In addition, in some uses for the container, the additive may be toxic, and the requirement to manually pour the additive into the container may be hazardous. In other uses, a more sterile environment may be desired.
Review of each of the foregoing references reveals no disclosure or suggestion of a system or method such as that described and claimed herein.